Voluntary Manslaughter
Counseling by Commander
In one of the cases that wasn't prosecuted, an Army investigation found probable cause to
believe that an Army specialist committed voluntary manslaughter when he "intentionally
shot and killed" Malik Ghafel Mattar as the Iraqi teenager stole a box of military food
rations in June 2003. The same rations have been given away by military personnel to
Iraqis, and Mattar was among children standing alongside the road waiting for candy and
food from soldiers, Army records show.
A soldier riding in a vehicle directly behind the shooting scene told investigators that he didn't see
any Iraqis throwing rocks or other objects and that he never felt threatened.
"Most were waving as they usually do," the soldier told investigators.
Army records show that the military convoy didn't stop to render aid to Mattar or to report the
shooting.
The accused soldier was surprised that the incident was under criminal investigation, according to
an Army investigator's report.
"He seemed to be under the impression no one would care that he shot an Iraqi," the investigator
wrote.
The investigation was stopped after a commander decided to take no action against the soldier,
and Army records show the soldier's punishment was to be "counseled" by a commander.
